Less-common bagel toppings
May 25, 2018 4:11 PM
I’m doing a bagel bar for a group of 25 that includes adults and little and school age kids. What should I include?
I have plans for these basics:
Bagels, various types
good-quality plain cream cheese (maybe other flavors)
Tomato
Sliced red onion
Cucumber
Some lox
Capers
There will also be Peanut butter, jam, butter.
What else might be nice to add that doesn’t require much extra work on my part? (Like I’m not going to pickle onions or make egg salad.)
There will be other stuff too (coffee, fruit, an egg dish, a coffee cake). There’s a toaster.
I’m mostly curious if there’s a few things you would be into, particularly veggies or toppings rather than additional spreads. (Olives? Radish? Arugula? Hummus? ) I also don’t want to get, like, Nutella or pineapple or whatever, if people wouldn’t choose it above a savory topping.
I have plans for these basics:
Bagels, various types
good-quality plain cream cheese (maybe other flavors)
Tomato
Sliced red onion
Cucumber
Some lox
Capers
There will also be Peanut butter, jam, butter.
What else might be nice to add that doesn’t require much extra work on my part? (Like I’m not going to pickle onions or make egg salad.)
There will be other stuff too (coffee, fruit, an egg dish, a coffee cake). There’s a toaster.
I’m mostly curious if there’s a few things you would be into, particularly veggies or toppings rather than additional spreads. (Olives? Radish? Arugula? Hummus? ) I also don’t want to get, like, Nutella or pineapple or whatever, if people wouldn’t choose it above a savory topping.
Sprouts/pea shoots/micro-greens. Bacon. Whipped and/or salted butter.
posted by lovableiago at 4:19 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by lovableiago at 4:19 PM on May 25, 2018
Nutella. I would choose it over savory many days.
posted by Stewriffic at 4:22 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by Stewriffic at 4:22 PM on May 25, 2018
I love garlicky hummus on bagels.
posted by permiechickie at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by permiechickie at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2018
Some kind of sweetened cream cheese would be nice (honey almond or walnut or similar).
posted by MadamM at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by MadamM at 4:25 PM on May 25, 2018
Are you in the US? Maybe choose almond butter over peanut butter, just because of the allergy issue?
posted by mccxxiii at 4:26 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by mccxxiii at 4:26 PM on May 25, 2018
Do some cinnamon raisin bagels with a sweet cream cheese. Also recommend a veggie cream cheese. Otherwise this sounds like a great spread to this Jew.
posted by tatiana wishbone at 4:27 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by tatiana wishbone at 4:27 PM on May 25, 2018
Butter. Some (crazy!) people prefer it over cream cheese.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:28 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:28 PM on May 25, 2018
Honey, liquid or creamed.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:33 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 4:33 PM on May 25, 2018
I hate how half of my answers include pinterest but... if you put "bagel toppings" they have lots of unusual ideas.
posted by beccaj at 4:45 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by beccaj at 4:45 PM on May 25, 2018
Slice some cheddar (or have a knife out) right beforehand. It's especially tasty on an everything with hummus.
For the sweet side, slice some bananas; they'll go well with either honey or peanut butter.
posted by praemunire at 4:50 PM on May 25, 2018
For the sweet side, slice some bananas; they'll go well with either honey or peanut butter.
posted by praemunire at 4:50 PM on May 25, 2018
Someone in my office always puts a jar of harissa (North African chili paste) out next to the bagels. I’ve never tried it myself.
posted by mskyle at 5:11 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by mskyle at 5:11 PM on May 25, 2018
Sun-dried tomatoes. Elephant & Bagel in Edinburgh used to do a sun-dried tomato and hummus (I think?) bagel that was my absolute favorite when I lived there.
posted by cpatterson at 5:16 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by cpatterson at 5:16 PM on May 25, 2018
The only thing I'd add is some kosher salt for sprinkling on the cucumbers and tomatoes, and honey.
posted by Cygnet at 5:34 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by Cygnet at 5:34 PM on May 25, 2018
Alfalfa sprouts
Black-eyed peas
Schmaltz
-----------------
These are just a few things that do not come on my so-called "everything" bagels. My incomplete list of such ingredients should be published at McSweeney's as soon as I submit it.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:39 PM on May 25, 2018
Black-eyed peas
Schmaltz
-----------------
These are just a few things that do not come on my so-called "everything" bagels. My incomplete list of such ingredients should be published at McSweeney's as soon as I submit it.
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:39 PM on May 25, 2018
If you can find a sweet cream cheese you can go with that, but if you want to blow some minds? Vanilla frosting (you can do cream cheese frosting, but if you have vegan concerns and the bagels are vegan in the first place, many standard grocery-shelf frostings are vegan). Either way, include a jar of sprinkles.
You can also buy onion jam at Trader Joe's and probably any slightly swanky grocery deli, and damn is it good with the fish/tomatoes/bacon/sharp cheese end of the bagel spectrum.
You might check with your nearby kosher-type deli to see if they offer lox spread, made with ends and bits, because it's hard to provide a modest amount of good lox without, like, one asshole putting the entire supply on their bagel and running away.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:39 PM on May 25, 2018
You can also buy onion jam at Trader Joe's and probably any slightly swanky grocery deli, and damn is it good with the fish/tomatoes/bacon/sharp cheese end of the bagel spectrum.
You might check with your nearby kosher-type deli to see if they offer lox spread, made with ends and bits, because it's hard to provide a modest amount of good lox without, like, one asshole putting the entire supply on their bagel and running away.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:39 PM on May 25, 2018
You can do a take on fairy bread! Get butter (or maybe cream cheese) and a few shakers of sprinkles/jimmies.
posted by honeybee413 at 5:42 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by honeybee413 at 5:42 PM on May 25, 2018
Oh, also: if you're going to do a fish, you want some dill. You can buy the kind that comes in a clamshell in the produce department and then put it in a little (labled) jar of water, like a flower in a vase. Shakers or grinders of salt and pepper, too.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:44 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by Lyn Never at 5:44 PM on May 25, 2018
depending your crowd: tuna salad or whitefish salad
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:51 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by fingersandtoes at 5:51 PM on May 25, 2018
Guacamole is my new go to for savory bagels. Cinnamon raisin bagels with butter one honey is my sweet bagel.
posted by advicepig at 5:53 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by advicepig at 5:53 PM on May 25, 2018
My go-to (when we're out of lox) is cream cheese, avocado and nutritional yeast.
posted by rouftop at 5:58 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by rouftop at 5:58 PM on May 25, 2018
Pickled onions and pickled peppers are really good on bagels.
posted by kendrak at 6:00 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by kendrak at 6:00 PM on May 25, 2018
Jam & Cream, like you would on a scone is delicious on a plain bagel.
posted by wwax at 6:03 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by wwax at 6:03 PM on May 25, 2018
Chocolate chips, Heath bar crunchies, sugar sprinkles, sharp cheddar, blue cheese, sliced apples, candied walnuts, honey for drizzling, sliced bananas, Cheerios, reduced balsamic vinegar, field greens.
Not to be used in combination necessarily.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:24 PM on May 25, 2018
Not to be used in combination necessarily.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 6:24 PM on May 25, 2018
You could do an olive tapenade or a sun-dried tomato tapenade. But if I had to guess, everyone is going to want cream cheese, butter, peanut butter and jam.
Is it a toaster oven or a toaster? My favorite after-school snack from the bagel shop across the street from my grade school was a pizza bagel - bagels tops with sauce and cheese, popped in a toaster oven.
posted by AppleTurnover at 6:37 PM on May 25, 2018
Is it a toaster oven or a toaster? My favorite after-school snack from the bagel shop across the street from my grade school was a pizza bagel - bagels tops with sauce and cheese, popped in a toaster oven.
posted by AppleTurnover at 6:37 PM on May 25, 2018
Alternative nut/seed butters would be nice. Tofutti would make me very happy.
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:51 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by tchemgrrl at 6:51 PM on May 25, 2018
that whipped maple syrup spread at Costco is pretty darn delicious.
posted by gatorae at 7:11 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by gatorae at 7:11 PM on May 25, 2018
Sriracha and smoked Gouda
posted by seemoorglass at 7:13 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by seemoorglass at 7:13 PM on May 25, 2018
If you have any vegans or lactose-intolerant people, Daiya non-dairy cream cheese would be great. It comes in a few flavors. (There are other brands, but Daiya is exceptional.)
posted by FencingGal at 7:24 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by FencingGal at 7:24 PM on May 25, 2018
If you like pickled onions, they really don't take much effort beyond slicing the red onion. Just cover the slices in vinegar (I usually just use white with a bit of cider or red wine for flavor) add a pinch of sugar. Can be consumed immediately or allowed to mellow for a couple days in the fridge.
posted by peacheater at 8:01 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by peacheater at 8:01 PM on May 25, 2018
Bananas and Nutella
Cucumber and cream cheese
Guacamole with Tajine
Hummus and tomato
Whipped or creamed honey (trader joe's has one)
Bring good quality salt and pepper grinders, that will make a difference
posted by yueliang at 8:17 PM on May 25, 2018
Cucumber and cream cheese
Guacamole with Tajine
Hummus and tomato
Whipped or creamed honey (trader joe's has one)
Bring good quality salt and pepper grinders, that will make a difference
posted by yueliang at 8:17 PM on May 25, 2018
Cut up hard boiled eggs.
posted by spinifex23 at 8:18 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by spinifex23 at 8:18 PM on May 25, 2018
Seconding including some honey because two of my favourites require it:
Toasted bagel, with peanut butter and/or Nutella, drizzled with honey and then thin slices of just-ripe banana,
Toasted bagel, slathered with butter, with thin sliced of a stronger flavour cheese (such as an Old Fort Cheddar, or a Smoked Cheese) and then drizzled with honey
"Pizza bagels" are also great if what you have is a toaster oven, not just a vertical toaster.
posted by Jade Dragon at 8:20 PM on May 25, 2018
Toasted bagel, with peanut butter and/or Nutella, drizzled with honey and then thin slices of just-ripe banana,
Toasted bagel, slathered with butter, with thin sliced of a stronger flavour cheese (such as an Old Fort Cheddar, or a Smoked Cheese) and then drizzled with honey
"Pizza bagels" are also great if what you have is a toaster oven, not just a vertical toaster.
posted by Jade Dragon at 8:20 PM on May 25, 2018
Liver, white fish, herring in cream, smoked sable, pickled onion...you know the stuff that makes your breath amazing!
posted by Toddles at 9:09 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by Toddles at 9:09 PM on May 25, 2018
Chutney comes in savory flavors like caramelized onion and pineapple pepper and others; really good on bagles with ham or lox.
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:28 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:28 PM on May 25, 2018
Prosciutto and fresh mozzarella slices!
posted by just_ducky at 9:34 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by just_ducky at 9:34 PM on May 25, 2018
This is an amazing idea. It's easy to make a sweet cream cheese by mixing jam in. You can mix strawberry jam in and then put some fresh chopped strawberries too if you want to be really fancy.
posted by rogerrogerwhatsyourrvectorvicto at 9:50 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by rogerrogerwhatsyourrvectorvicto at 9:50 PM on May 25, 2018
Really you want plenty of cut up raw vegetables along with the cucumber, tomato and red onion - also thin slices of red and yellow bell pepper, scallions, carrot shavings, some arugula. People like a lot of veggies on or next to their bagel. Put lemon wedges on the platter too. (PS I've done this bagel party and it works really well. It's nice to have cans of sparkling water with different essences to go with this.)
posted by nantucket at 10:02 PM on May 25, 2018
posted by nantucket at 10:02 PM on May 25, 2018
I guess if you don't end up getting any sort of raisin bagels then raisins themselves might be easy and good. As a kid we'd eat raisins and cream cheese on a variety of vegetables but the combination would work well for bagels too.
When I've had fresh labneh out of the refrigerated section at my local Middle Eastern market I put it on pitas but it seems as though it might go well on bagels too. Don't know the brand unfortunately but it sort of tastes halfway between yoghurt and butter.
posted by XMLicious at 11:15 PM on May 25, 2018
When I've had fresh labneh out of the refrigerated section at my local Middle Eastern market I put it on pitas but it seems as though it might go well on bagels too. Don't know the brand unfortunately but it sort of tastes halfway between yoghurt and butter.
posted by XMLicious at 11:15 PM on May 25, 2018
Thin slices of strawberries are fantastic on a cream cheese bagel - sometimes if a hotel's continental breakfast has whole strawberries I'll sit there sawing at them with my plastic knife to get slices to put on my bagel.
You could put out shakers of semisweet cocoa powder and cinnamon for people to dust their bagel or toast (or beverage) as they prefer.
Please rethink "some lox". If you budget allows go for "plenty of lox for everyone" because not everybody grew up in a household where sibling fights over exactly equal portions of lox now guilts them into taking only a reasonable amount of lox at a nice spread.
Speaking of a lox spread, to up its fanciness but stay on-theme some small wedges of lemon for easy squeezing and fresh sprigs of dill will do it up quite nicely, as well as make lovely buffet decorations with the extras.
posted by Mizu at 12:41 AM on May 26, 2018
You could put out shakers of semisweet cocoa powder and cinnamon for people to dust their bagel or toast (or beverage) as they prefer.
Please rethink "some lox". If you budget allows go for "plenty of lox for everyone" because not everybody grew up in a household where sibling fights over exactly equal portions of lox now guilts them into taking only a reasonable amount of lox at a nice spread.
Speaking of a lox spread, to up its fanciness but stay on-theme some small wedges of lemon for easy squeezing and fresh sprigs of dill will do it up quite nicely, as well as make lovely buffet decorations with the extras.
posted by Mizu at 12:41 AM on May 26, 2018
Jalapeños, thinly sliced.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:09 AM on May 26, 2018
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 5:09 AM on May 26, 2018
Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend- it is a jar of seasonings you sprinkle on top of the cream cheese. So good!
posted by momochan at 5:37 AM on May 26, 2018
posted by momochan at 5:37 AM on May 26, 2018
Cream cheese with brown sugar and walnuts
Hummus
Arugula
posted by theora55 at 6:40 AM on May 26, 2018
Hummus
Arugula
posted by theora55 at 6:40 AM on May 26, 2018
Mix a bit of pesto with mayo and top it off with lettuce, mozzarella and tomato slices = heaven
posted by speakeasy at 6:53 AM on May 26, 2018
posted by speakeasy at 6:53 AM on May 26, 2018
Scallion cream cheese from the store is nasty. Fresh scallion cream cheese is a-maz-ing, and all you have to do is slice some green onions and stir them into (soft and/or whipped) plain cream cheese.
In fact, that sounds really good and I'm gonna go to the store and make that right now. Ooo, and I'm gonna get onion bagels. Mmm, onions.
posted by sexyrobot at 6:54 AM on May 26, 2018
In fact, that sounds really good and I'm gonna go to the store and make that right now. Ooo, and I'm gonna get onion bagels. Mmm, onions.
posted by sexyrobot at 6:54 AM on May 26, 2018
Gluten-free bagels and separate knives and toaster, unless you know for certain that everyone can eat gluten.
posted by bile and syntax at 7:48 AM on May 26, 2018
posted by bile and syntax at 7:48 AM on May 26, 2018
creamed honey, devon cream and lemon or rhubarb curd, roasted red pepper hummus, pickled pink onions (thankful to the person above mentioning flash pickling red onion is as simple as slice and submerge for a few hours), pickled jalapeno slices, tomato achaar or harissa, pimento cheese, good quality tinned mackerel (drizzled with some of the olive oil in the tin), good pesto yes, yes walnuts, melty sliced cheese like cheddar or gouda (counterintuitive and perhaps too much a guilty pleasure thing for me, but yeah, melted til bubbly under the broiler/on a freshly piping hot toasted bagel)...i guess everybody mostly posted my favorites already so consider this my agreement with those suggestions. also kinda wondering if something vaguely akin to halvah but spreadable, a sesame seed paste, would be good. hm. and i've never had fluff/marshmallow cream but i wonder if someone with a major sweet tooth wouldn't be intrigued by a fluff and nut butter bagelwich, vaguely evoking a s'more or something. just throwing it out there. similarly i kinda wonder how gross/guilty-awesome it might be to put crumbled potato chips and tuna fish on a bagel. assertively mustardy egg salad on a pumpernickel bagel comes to mind too. maybe with pickle chips.
posted by ifjuly at 11:26 AM on May 26, 2018
posted by ifjuly at 11:26 AM on May 26, 2018
1. Pepper jam. Best as a thin layer under creem cheese and cucumbers, but also good with sharp cheese, good tomatoes, meats, and most other things.
2. Gjetost (brunost) cheese. (Brown, sweet, caramel-flavored soft cheese from Norway and similar places that usually comes in a shrink-wrapped cube.) Sliced thin, it melts beautifully into a freshly toasted bagel.
posted by eotvos at 5:13 PM on May 26, 2018
2. Gjetost (brunost) cheese. (Brown, sweet, caramel-flavored soft cheese from Norway and similar places that usually comes in a shrink-wrapped cube.) Sliced thin, it melts beautifully into a freshly toasted bagel.
posted by eotvos at 5:13 PM on May 26, 2018
Back because I suddenly remembered I've been buying blended cream cheese and greek yogurt spread lately from a couple of my grocery stores and it is SO GOOD AND TANGY. Honestly knocks cream cheese out of the park.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:31 PM on May 26, 2018
posted by Lyn Never at 5:31 PM on May 26, 2018
Zaatar is another spice (really, a spice blend) that would work great here: I love it sprinkled on cream cheese, cottage cheese, and tomatoes.
posted by dapati at 8:39 AM on May 27, 2018
posted by dapati at 8:39 AM on May 27, 2018
I was thinking sprinkles (fairy bread) too, because to get them to stick you’d have to put something else on first (butter, cream cheese, PB...) and they would be cute and a treat and a little sweet but nearly as sugary as Nutella (which I take you are trying to avoid).
But dear lord, don’t put the sprinkles in shakers! They go *everywhere*. Put them in a bowl, then press the bread in upside down in a calm civilised fashion, tap sides gently, and remove.
As an American living in Australia, I learned this the hard way and spent a lot of time vacuuming out the cracks in the floorboards.
posted by jrobin276 at 8:40 AM on May 27, 2018
But dear lord, don’t put the sprinkles in shakers! They go *everywhere*. Put them in a bowl, then press the bread in upside down in a calm civilised fashion, tap sides gently, and remove.
As an American living in Australia, I learned this the hard way and spent a lot of time vacuuming out the cracks in the floorboards.
posted by jrobin276 at 8:40 AM on May 27, 2018
Finally, a question I am an expert on:
* Pesto
* Cheese- any cheese goes with bagels, I have not found any that doesn't. Feta, tasty, sliced, ricotta, boccocini, paneer
* Tomato paste- hear me out. Spread on both sides of the bagel, add some cheese and other toppings, and you've got yourself a pizza bagel
* Avocado
* Dips of any kind- hummous, babaganoush, french onion, tzatziki. Put with a meat / meat alternative or cheese
Do you have a grill or way to heat your bagels? Because melted = heaven.
posted by daybeforetheday at 1:05 PM on May 27, 2018
* Pesto
* Cheese- any cheese goes with bagels, I have not found any that doesn't. Feta, tasty, sliced, ricotta, boccocini, paneer
* Tomato paste- hear me out. Spread on both sides of the bagel, add some cheese and other toppings, and you've got yourself a pizza bagel
* Avocado
* Dips of any kind- hummous, babaganoush, french onion, tzatziki. Put with a meat / meat alternative or cheese
Do you have a grill or way to heat your bagels? Because melted = heaven.
posted by daybeforetheday at 1:05 PM on May 27, 2018
Strawberries. Peaches. Pineapple slices. Apple butter! Cocktail sauce? Sriracha?
posted by Aquifer at 10:25 PM on May 27, 2018
posted by Aquifer at 10:25 PM on May 27, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 4:14 PM on May 25, 2018